Word to the Wise
Friday, February 4, 2022 - Friday in the 4th Week in Ordinary Time
[Sir 47:2-11 and Mark 6:14-29]"I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist!" [Mark]
The evangelists Mark and Matthew give us the details of the death of John the Baptist. A combination of fury on the part of Herod's wife because John had denounced Herod for marrying his own sister-in-law (?) and face-saving on the part of Herod because of a drunken promise to his dancing daughter lead to the gory spectacle of John the Baptist's head being produced on a platter to the girl to give to her mother! (The scene is vividly enacted in Strauss' opera, SALOME'!)
But, lest we dismiss this scene too quickly, we might ponder the fate of Jesus who was put to death by a combination of ill-will on the part of religious authorities and political oppression by the Roman authorities. Human life can hang by a whimsical thread! Millions die or starve because of the egomania of political leaders that leads to violent oppression and conflict. Although the first scripture for today from Sirach praises King David, he was not above sending the husband of Bathsheba into dangerous battle to get rid of him so he (David) could marry her.
How often do we find ways to "get rid of" or "neutralize" someone or something that irritates us or challenges our treasured prejudices and assumptions, especially when it is in our "power" to do so? Political examples of this abound, but it is harder to face our own examples. It's something to think about! AMEN